


Growing up, Growing Away

by J_Henderson



Category: Newsies (1992), Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: A knife - Freeform, Bittersweet, Fluff, Found Family, I cried writing this, I drop kicked that child in self defense, ITS ALL FAMILIAL LOVE, Jack Crutchie and race but it’s the what do you have, Jack uses humor to cope, Other, THE ONLY ROMANTIC SHIP IS SPRACE, Tags Are Fun, Tags Are Hard, They’re brothers your honor, lil bit of angst(?), no, vine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-14 12:22:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28545525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/J_Henderson/pseuds/J_Henderson
Summary: “Jack, Charlie, this is your little brother Tony.” Denton  holds the hand of the two-year-old, the later looking wildly around. Jack and Charlie looked at each other, surging forward at the same moment to coddle the baby. The two knew, even without speaking, that this little boy would become the most important thing to them.
Relationships: Crutchie & Jack Kelly, Crutchie & Racetrack Higgins, Crutchie & Racetrack Higgins & Jack Kelly, Racetrack Higgins & Jack Kelly, Spot Conlon/Racetrack Higgins
Comments: 4
Kudos: 20





	Growing up, Growing Away

**Author's Note:**

> Second fic yay! This is a pretty bittersweet one and I cry every time I read it, even while editing, but that could just be me. It’s based of my own relationship with my younger brother, and just like Jack and Crutchie, I knew he would be the most important thing in my life. Cheers to all the other older siblings out there!

Watching Race grow up was surreal. It seemed to Jack that one day, the hyper-active two year old was being dumped into his hands and the next he was walking the 26-year-old down the asile. 

Jack knew Crutchie was feeling the same way. His brother who also helped raise Race hadn’t noticed the time flying by either. It seemed like only a few days ago that the two-year-old was dropped off….. 

6-year-oof Jack holds his brother Charlie’s hand tightly. Denton was bringing home another boy. 

“Jack, Charlie, this is your little brother Tony.” Denton holds the hand of the two-year-old, the later looking wildly around. Jack and Charlie looked at each other, surging forward at the same moment to coddle the baby. The two knew, even without speaking, that this little boy would become the most important thing to them. 

By the time Tony was 4, Jack and Charlie- Crutchie, as his friends now called him- 8, the little Italian was poking his head into every bit of trouble he could find. Climbing tress in Central Park, running into random subways- Jack, Crutchie and Denton had about 30 heart attacks a day from the small child. But they still loved him- they’d do anything to protect him. 

When Tony turned 7, Jack and Crutchie 11, Tony landed in a coma. He’d been climbing a tree when the branch snapped, sending him sprawling to the ground. He’d been unconscious for 3 weeks. He’d woken up to Jack and Crutchie weeping over him. He’d gotten chewed out for being so stupid, but he knew his brothers loved him. 

Tony was 13 when he became Race. His older brothers were in the high school- both 17- and were getting ready for college. Race had joined the track team, quickly becoming the fastest in the middle and high schools. Despite his stereotypical “jock” lifestyle, Race proved himself to be an A+ student. Many teachers called him a genius. 

Race was 14 when his brothers went off to college. Jack to an art college in Santa Fe, Crutchie to a performing arts school in California. The three wouldn’t see each other again for two years. By the time Jack and Crutchie came home for the first time- two years into their stay at college- Race was 16 and taller than both Jack and Crutchie. Race also began dating Spot, Jack’s nemesis on the field since 1st grade. It took a lot of getting used to, Race gaining independence. He didn’t come back down nights, staying out with Spot. Arguments broke out between the brothers, arguing about colleges to boyfriends to grades. 

Race was 20 when Denton died. 24-year-olds Jack and Crutchie mourned with him, and they started to get along once more.

Race was 23 when he graduated Harvard. Majored in physics and history. Masters in education. He planned on becoming a teacher. Jacks and Crutchie were so proud of their brother- he’s grown up well. 

Race was 25 when Spot proposed. He’d said yes, obviously. They’d been dating for almost 10 years by now. But he really did love Spot- and Spot loved him. They clicked together well. Jack and Crutchie had given Spot their blessing, and the date was set. June 10, in a park in Brooklyn where the two had had their first kiss. 

Jack and Crutchie had burst into tears when they saw Race dressed up in his suit. Their little brother was all grown up- the little two-year-old that had once colored four stick figures and called it family was now a head taller than Crutchie and Jack, blonde hair wrangled slightly more than usual, blue eyes twinkling. The brothers embraced once more before Jack and Crutchie each grabbed one of Race’s arms to walk him down the asile. 

Jack and Crutchie would be lying if they’d said there were no tears cried that night. But the tears really started during the speech, when Jack hooked up a projector and started showing baby pictures of Race. 

“Hey y’all. I’m Jack, one of Race’s older brothers. And I’m going to embarrass the hell outta him.” Jack grins. Everyone laughs. “I first met Race when I was 6. Crutchie- well, Charlie, at that point, and I had been living with Denton for a few years. And in comes this little two-year-old, a mop of curly blonde hair and blue-blue eyes. He barely knew English, and we didn’t know any Italian. Tony was certainly a handful the first few years.” Chuckles ring from the crowd and Race blushes as Jack shows of a picture of baby Race. 

“Tony went through a habit of running away when he was little. God, it was terrifying. He’d run onto random subways, hop into cabs and go on joyrides, dart off in Central Park. Was horrible. We ended up getting a leash for him.” Jack chuckles at the picture of Race laying face down in a bush, leash attached to his backpack. 

“Tony gave us so many heart attacks. He fell outta trees, broke bones ... but the worst time was when he fell out of a tree and slipped into a coma. It was a horrible three weeks… we were so happy when he finally woke up.” Jack smirks. ”Soon, Tony is joining the track team and becoming Race, and Crutchie and I are heading off to college.” 

“When we come back, boy has Race changed. He was taller than me- the audacity! He was taller than me! My younger brother! The betrayal.” Jack laughs. “That was when I first found out that Spot was dating my brother. And boy, did we have words.” 

“I threatened Spot, multiple times. Not gonna lie. He’d been my arch nemesis since the first grade when he dumped a milkshake in my lap, which is actually kind of a stupid reason to hate someone.” Spot laughs, grinning. “But once I got to know him, I knew that he was perfect for Race. Race is a fun kid- he needs someone to keep him from falling into a pit, sometimes. He can be one-tracked sometimes- I wonder where he learned that from ...” 

“Spot keeps Race from drifting off, and I’ll always be grateful that he does that. Lord knows how many times I’ve tried and failed. Spot and Race are perfect for each other, if their ten year relationship has anything to say about it.” Jack smiles, nodding at Spot who salutes him. 

“But anyways, back to my brother. Race, I’ve raised you for 24 years. We’ve thrown up together, shared clothing together- and also, punched each other. On multiple occasions.” Jack grins. “But no matter what, you’ll always be my little brother. Even when you’re taller than me. Even when you’re winning you’re tenth Nobel Peace Prize. Even now, when you’re marrying the love of your life. Crutchie and I will always be here for you- because to us, those 24 years have passed by in a blink- passed by almost as fast you can run. Love you, Tony.” 

When Race was 26, he married the love of his life. He was 26 when his brothers gave him away, 26 when he walked down the asile, 26 when he became Race Higgins-Conlon. He was 26 when he gave his older brother hugs and kisses on the cheek before running to the dance floor with his husband. He was 26. 

But to Jack and Crutchie, he’d always be their little two-year-old.

**Author's Note:**

> I might do a part two where’s it kind of the inverse of this— Jack and Crutchie struggling with raising a child. As much as I live my brother, I loathe that I raised him and sacrificed some of my childhood for that. Let me know what y’all think!


End file.
